Web Content Viewer (JSR 286)

Web Content Viewer (JSR 286)

FSIS FY 2000 Annual FOIA Report

Brief description of type(s) of information withheld under each statute.

Statement of whether a court has upheld the use of each statute. If so cite example.

B. NUMBER OF INITIAL REQUESTS:(include all access requests, whether first party or third party)

Number of requests pending at end of FY 99 = 107

Number of requests received during FY 00 = 605

Number of requests processed during FY 00 = 333

Number of requests pending at end of FY 00 = 272

C. Disposition of Initial Requests:

Number of total grants = 226

Number of partial grants = 32

Number of denials = 14

Number of times each FOIA exemption used: (count each exemption once per request)

Exemption 1 = 0

Exemption 2 = 18

Exemption 3 = 0

Exemption 4 = 44

Exemption 5 = 17

Exemption 6 = 53

Exemption 7(A) = 18

Exemption 7(B) = 0

Exemption 78 = 1

Exemption 7(D) = 0

Exemption 7(E) = 0

Exemption 7(F) = 0

Exemption 8 = 0

Exemption 9 = 0

Other reasons for nondisclosure: (total) = 50

No records = 32

Referred elsewhere = 10

Request withdrawn = 1

Fee-related reason = 0

Records not reasonably described = 0

Not a proper FOIA request for some reason = 1

Not an agency record = 0

Duplicate request = 0

Other (specify) = 6

*Third party request. Signed waiver required for release/records no longer needed/request closed by requester.

D. Number of Appeals:

Number of appeals received during FY 00 = 12

Number of appeals processed during FY 00 = 11

E. Disposition of Appeals:

Number completely upheld = 8

Number partially reversed = 0

Number completely reversed = 0

Number of times each FOIA exemption used: (count each exemption once per appeal)

Exemption 1 = 0

Exemption 2 = 2

Exemption 3 = 0

Exemption 4 = 0

Exemption 5 = 3

Exemption 6 = 2

Exemption 7(A) = 1

Exemption 7(B) = 0

Exemption 78 = 0

Exemption 7(D) = 0

Exemption 7(E) = 0

Exemption 7(F) = 0

Exemption 8 = 0

Exemption 9 = 0

Other reasons for nondisclosure (total): 2

No records = 2

Referred elsewhere = 18

Request withdrawn = 3

Fee-related reason = 0

Records not reasonably described = 0

Not a proper FOIA request for some reason = 4

Not an agency record = 0

Duplicate request = 3

Other (specify) = 0

F. Median Processing Time For Requests:(Example for calculation of median: Given 7 requests completed during the fiscal year, aged 10, 25, 35, 65, 75, 80, and 400 days from date of perfection to date of completion, the total number of requests completed during the fiscal year would be 7 and the median age of the completed requests would be 65 days.)

Simple requests (if multiple tracks used)

Number of requests processed = 0

Median number of days to process = 0

Complex requests (specify for any and all tracks used)

Number of requests processed = 333

Median number of days to process = 45

Requests accorded expedited processing

Number of requests processed = 0

Median number of days to process = 0

G. Status of Pending Requests:(Agencies using multiple tracks may provide numbers for each track as well as totals.)

Number of requests pending at end of FY 00 = 272

Median number of days requests were pending at end of FY 00 = 30

H. Describe Agency Efforts To:

Improve timeliness: Senior (FOIA) Specialist hired additional FOIA Assistant. More regular reporting and review of caseloads. A new system has been developed in Access and to be tested by January 2001. Implementation to begin by March 2001.

Reduce backlog: A permanent part-time employee has been hired to assist in filing, typing and other office type duties.

Provide training: Regular meetings have been instituted that will include training component with guest speakers. All employees have attended the ASAP Seminars, DOJ Training Sessions, and on-the-job training when needed.

Add new categories of records: N/A

I. Total Costs:(include staff and all resources)

FOIA processing (including appeals) = $369,457.00

Litigation-related activities (estimated)= 0

Total costs = $369,457.00

Statement of additional resources needed: A more advanced and upgraded system is needed. Scanner with imaging capability would greatly reduce the FOIA process.